Role of RAPID score and surgery in the management of pleural infection: a single center retrospective study.

Background: The RAPID [Renal (urea level), Age, Pleural fluid purulence, source of Infection and Denutrition (albumin level)] score classifies patients with pleural infection according to mortality risk at 3 months. This study aims to assess the applicability of this score in a thoracic surgery department and to determine the impact of surgery in the management of pleural infection depending on the Rapid score.

Methods: In this single center retrospective study, patients managed for pleural infection, from January 1st 2013 to June 30th 2019, were included.

Contemporary Outcomes for the Curative Treatment of Colorectal Cancer Pulmonary Metastases.

Purpose: Treatment of pulmonary metastases (PM) from colorectal cancer (CRC) is the standard of care by several guidelines from Europe and the USA, but the validity of this strategy has been recently questioned, and the available evidence supporting this strategy is weak. We report the outcomes of a curative intent strategy in a very recent and homogenous series of patients.

Methods: We did a retrospective review of all curative intent surgical or ablative treatment of PM from CRC performed consecutively in 3 French institutions from January 2015 to December 2019.

Diagnosis Yield and Safety of Surgical Biopsy in Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Prospective Study.

Background: Surgical lung biopsy is essential in the diagnostic algorithm of interstitial lung disease (ILD) of unknown cause. Safety concerns have been recently reiterated. This study prospectively assessed the yield of diagnosis and safety of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical lung biopsy (VATS-LB) for ILD diagnosis.

Is surgical rib fixation in patients aged more than 65 years old associated with worse outcomes compared to younger patients? A retrospective single-center study.

Background: There is no robust data regarding rib fixation in elderly patients. The aim of this study is to compare the postoperative outcomes of patients aged less and more than 65 years old.

Methods: Patients operated from January 2012 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.

Artificial intelligence in thoracic surgery: past, present, perspective and limits.

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is becoming prevalent in many areas of everyday life. The healthcare industry is concerned by it even though its widespread use is still limited. Thoracic surgeons should be aware of the new opportunities that could affect their daily practice, by direct use of AI technology or indirect use related medical fields (radiology, pathology and respiratory medicine).

A Single-Center Experience of Osteosynthesis Material Infection after Rib Fixation for Blunt Trauma.

Introduction: There is no data regarding the incidence and treatment of deep infection affecting the surgical implants after rib fixation. The aim of this study is to share our experience in the management of infected material after surgical rib fixation.

Methods: The medical records of operated patients from January 2012 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.

An unusual pneumonia.

http://ow.ly/Trzu30kGzk6.

Differential mutation profiles and similar intronic TP53 polymorphisms in asbestos-related lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma.

Given the interest in defining biomarkers of asbestos exposure and to provide insights into asbestos-related and cell-specific mechanisms of neoplasia, the identification of gene alterations in asbestos-related cancers can help to a better understanding of exposure risk. To understand the aetiology of asbestos-induced malignancies and to increase our knowledge of mesothelial carcinogenesis, we compared genetic alterations in relevant cancer genes between lung cancer, induced by asbestos and tobacco smoke, and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a cancer related to asbestos, but not to tobacco smoke. TP53, KRAS, EGFR and NF2 gene alteration analyses were performed in 100 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, 50 asbestos-exposed and 50 unexposed patients, matched for age, gender, histology and smoking habits.

Leiomyosarcoma of the right inferior pulmonary vein: 2 years survival with multimodality therapy.

Primary leiomyosarcoma of the heart is an extremely rare and aggressive tumor. The authors report a case of a 29-year-old man with a leiomyosarcoma of the right inferior pulmonary vein who underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The patient experienced two local recurrences and he finally died 2 years after onset of symptoms because of multiple distal metastases.

[Morbidity/mortality reviews: assessment of their implementation in one hospital].

Objectives: The objective of this study was to describe the steps involved in establishing a morbidity/mortality review committee (MMRC) to analyze the causes of avoidable deaths or life-threatening complications and the development of plans and protocols to avoid their recurrence.

Methods: The MMRC included physicians from each hospital department. Each member was responsible for organizing departmental meetings to analyze its avoidable deaths and life-threatening complications.

Successful treatment of pulmonary mucormycosis in an allogenic bone-marrow transplant recipient with combined medical and surgical therapy.

Mucormycosis is a rare, but severe, complication in allogenic bone-marrow recipients with a mortality rate of about 80%. Moreover, its incidence appears to have increased within the last decade. We report a case of pulmonary and nasal mucormycosis in a 55-y-old patient, which occurred 1 y after BMT.

Closure of long surgical incisions with a new formulation of 2-octylcyanoacrylate tissue adhesive versus commercially available methods.

Background: Topical 2-octylcyanoacrylate tissue adhesive is an alternative to traditional devices for closing short surgical incisions.

Methods: An open-label, randomized study compared a new high-viscosity formulation of 2-octylcyanoacrylate with commercially available devices, including low-viscosity 2-octylcyanoacrylate, for epidermal closure of incisions > or = 4 cm requiring subcutaneous and/or deep-dermal suturing.

Results: Of patients with 1 to 3 wounds, 106 were treated with high-viscosity 2-octylcyanoacrylate and 103 with commercially available devices.

Thoracoscopic management of postpneumonectomy empyema.

Background: Even when there is no associated bronchopleural fistula, empyema is a serious complication of pneumonectomy. Aggressive surgical treatments are usually applied. However, a minimally invasive approach might achieve satisfactory results in selected patients.

Long-term results of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy for upper limb hyperhidrosis.

Background: Immediate results of endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy (ETS) for hyperhidrosis are good. Adverse effects are well known but are supposed to decrease with time. We report the long-term results of ETS with regard to efficacy, side effects and patient satisfaction.

[Current insights in malignant pleural mesothelioma].

Faced with the rising incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), the medical community is now busy to improve the care for this pathology. Although there is still no unanimously recognized therapy for MPM, long survival has been observed for some patients treated with associated therapies (surgery + radiotherapy + chemotherapy). However, the detection and the aggressive care of early stages MPM must be justified by a demonstrated survival improvement with conservation of a good quality of life.

Radical en bloc resection for lung cancer invading the spine.

Objective: We reviewed our 8-year experience with en bloc partial and total vertebrectomy for lung cancer invading the spine and report outcome and survival.

Methods: Nineteen patients with lung cancers involving the spine underwent en bloc resection. Eleven received induction treatment (chemotherapy, n = 5; chemoradiotherapy, n = 4; and radiation, n = 2).